


The Prophecy Guides Us Home

by redheadedninja



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Always a redhead!OC, Angst, But only because I'm ginger in real life, F/M, Frustrated!Khan, Humor, I Don't Even Know, Not a Mary Sue, Pretty sure I'm about to re-write human history, Sarcasm, So when I imagine characters, This is what happens when I feed my muse, This should be fun..., they have ginger hair
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2014-04-18
Packaged: 2017-12-15 13:31:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/850089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redheadedninja/pseuds/redheadedninja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A galaxy ravaged by war clings to a prophecy, believing it to be their only chance for survival. When their leader thinks that she may have found the predicted "King of Beings with Created Strength", she tries to both protect and guide him.</p><p>All Khan wants to know is who the hell she is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Limits of Patience

**Author's Note:**

> "How did you get in here?"
> 
> A little bit of the tension in her shoulders bled away and she gave him a small smile. "Would you believe 'magic'?" 
> 
> Khan raised an eyebrow, unamused.

_August 5th, 1993: Earth_

_Khan watched dispassionately as men and women shouted in protest. The crowd had grown outside his window; the War had been in progress for only a year and people still hadn't realized that they had already lost._

_A man, late-30s, climbed up on the platform in the middle of the courtyard. He started a passionate speech about freedom and how his children deserved to grow up with it. Khan stopped paying attention to him a few seconds after he started talking; it was nothing he hadn't heard before. Kahn was contemplating having the man arrested when a female in her early twenties walked up onto the platform as well and started challenging the man._

_Khan was not expecting that. Normally, it was men who did all of the protesting now as they didn't want to subject their women to the ramifications for standing up for their beliefs. Fools- women could be just as strong; just take Rebekah as an example. She was one of their kinds' most ruthless and yet, she looked as if she couldn't hurt a fly. It was something that had worked in her favor when she took over the former United States of America._

"…  _and where will you go once you've overthrown him? To France? I hear that Philippe has seized power there. Do you think he'll invent a new form of torture, just for you? Or how about America? Rebekah might actually listen to you before beheading you and your children." The female didn't shout; she spoke calmly and with such conviction that the crowd fell silent in order to hear more._

" _We will stay here! We will take back our land!" The man's angry shouts were jarring to the now attentive crowd; Khan could see that they were no longer so eager to hear what he had to say._

" _Of course you will.' The female's voice dripped with barely-hid derision. 'And then they will come and take it away from you… again. You will just have done them a favor and made it easier to expand their own nations. There are no other options. This is the world for now- realize that you have been fortunate."_

" _Fortunate? Fortunate?!" The man spat his words at the woman. "It what ways are we fortunate?"_

" _Your bellies are full, your children are safe, and you have no tasks other than doing your assigned job and keeping your head down. What other fortune is there right now?"_

_Khan had seen enough. He signaled down to Joachim, indicating that he wanted the female to be brought to him. His second in command nodded and moved through the crowd. Joachim reached the woman just as the protestor opened his mouth to argue again; one look from the Augment however, made him change his mind. Khan didn't hear the conversation between Joachim and the woman, but he did see her raise her head and look at him before nodding._

" _Think about what I have said. Sometimes, it pays to bow if it allows you to live." The people started talking to one another, mulling over the woman's parting words as she followed Joachim to the Estate._

_Khan strode away from the window, making for his receiving room. He was intrigued, wondering if she was an Augment from another sect. There were 11 of them, the scientists having decided that it was safer to raise them in separate sections, rather than together as a whole._

_That plan had obviously failed._

_Even if she wasn't an Augment, he decided that he may have a place for her somewhere. A well-educated servant perhaps, able to amuse them and calm the masses when required._

_Joachim and the female were waiting for him. Up close, he saw that she was quite short, barely reaching his chest. She held herself confidently and with the air of someone always in control, which clashed with the outfit she was wearing. Worn knee-high brown leather boots, with light tan cotton pants tucked into them, and a worn leather vest over a matching cotton shirt clearly spoke of a girl from a poorer class in society. Her hands were wrapped with strips of fabric and rested casually at her side. Long copper hair framed her face and fell down her back and shoulders in waves. Her nose was small, with a smattering of freckles across the bridge. Following the line of her face down, Khan found himself looking at her lips- full and rose-petal pink- as one corner of her mouth quirked upwards in amusement. Looking away from her mouth, Khan continued his assessment of the female. Her eyes were hazel (he could see the smattering of green within the light brown and gold) and appeared to stare right through him. Unwilling to look away (he was the Superior being after all), Khan stared back at her in a silent battle of wills._

_After a few seconds, Joachim had grown tired of the posturing. "You are to kneel in our presence, Inferior."_

" _Hm. Unfortunately, I think I hurt my knees climbing on and off of that little soapbox out there. I'm sure his Highness will forgive my disrespect this once." Her voice was confident and clear, much like her posture, and the brief thought that she had been part of some high society before the war flashed through Khan's head again._

_Joachim growled. "He will not and you shall learn to show respect of your betters." He raised his hand to strike her. The female eyed him dispassionately and without fear; the only acknowledgement she gave Joachim’s threat was the subtle tensing in her body._

" _Enough Joachim. I can teach her respect myself. Go make sure the crowds dissipate."_

_The blond slowly lowered his hand, but made no move towards the door._

" _Now."_

_His second threw the female one last look, before bowing to him and stalking towards the door._

" _It was a pleasure, Joachim." Her voice rang out mockingly through the room._

_Joachim paused, his hands twitching into fists at his side, before swearing and stalking out of the room. Khan refused to show it, but he was amused by the female's defiance, especially since either he or Joachim could snap her neck like a stick without a second thought._

" _You are bold for one who could be killed at any moment."_

_She turned her gaze back to him. "Your second cannot harm me. Neither can you for that matter."_

_Khan's eyebrow rose. "You are an Augment then." It was not a question._

_She tilt her head and paused. "Of a sort, I suppose." She answered, as if the thought had never occurred to her before._

" _Who were your creators? Did they make you similar to us or did they attempt improve you?" His mind was searching through his memories, attempting to find any record or knowledge of the woman in front of him._

" _I have no 'creators'. And I am not better, simply different."_

" _Are you from here then?"_

" _The Middle East?"_

' _Where else?' Khan thought, his annoyance bubbling to the surface. "Yes."_

" _No."_

_When she didn't expand on her answer, Khan had to fight to keep his face impassive. He tried a different tactic._

" _Why did you defend me out there?"_

_Her lips twitched upwards again. "I didn't. I simply said what I needed to so that fool could keep his head. He was no threat to you… today."_

" _You think yourself much too clever woman." Khan hadn't missed her implication._

_She only shrugged. "I have been told that it's my greatest fault, next to suicidal tendencies and jumping off of large cliffs."_

_Khan's eyebrows briefly pulled together in confusion. "Jumping off of cliffs..."_

_"Large cliffs. Small ones are such a waste of time." She interrupted, waving her hand in the air._

_Khan once more schooled his face. "You have yet to tell me who you are and why you are here. I warn you, I am not a patient man."_

" _You haven't asked me who I am; it's not my fault that I haven't answered. As for why I'm here… don't you remember Joachim? He said you wanted to see me." She was toying with him all while Khan was barely restraining himself from strangling her. Suicidal tendencies indeed._

" _Who. Are. You." His teeth were starting to twinge from clenching his jaw so hard._

_She smiled sweetly at him, as if she hadn't been angering him on purpose. "You may call me… An'ya. That hardly answers who I am, but it is all you need at the moment. Now, if you will excuse me… I am afraid I’m late. Be careful Khan; there are more dangerous things in existence than dissenters."_

_He watched her suspiciously as she gave him a little curtsy. Then, before he knew it, she was smirking at him and quickly climbing out the open window behind her._

_Cursing as many deities as he could think of, Khan sprinted to the window and clambered out of it as she had. Looking around wildly, he caught a glimpse of her running on the roof of the eastern wing and shouted for Joachim._

_She jumped down and ran through the courtyard before his people knew what had happened._

_In the few seconds that it had taken Khan to cross the courtyard, she had disappeared._

_His security force raced past him, spreading out to cover more terrain._ " _Who was that Sir?" Nathan, his youngest follower, asked as he scanned the horizon for signs of movement._

 

 

" _I believe… that it was a rogue Augment." 'And a frustrating one at that' he added silently. "Double the guards. I want her captured if she comes back. Bring her directly to me, no matter what."_

* * *

August 13th, 2258: Earth

Khan opened his eyes, the bright white room blinding him. His body no longer ached, having healed quickly during his sleep. It didn’t matter though; he knew that it would hurt again today. Rubbing his face with both hands- the only sign he would give that his situation and memories were disturbing him- Khan slowly sat up.

It was so long ago and yet, he can still remember the frustration and awe that the woman caused him. She had come and gone into his life twice, each time staying no longer than a few minutes and always bringing a warning of some sort.

A small part of Khan, squashed and beaten down, wished that he had, if only for a moment, taken her for himself. It was a natural reaction he knew- he wanted that which he couldn't have and he also wanted the best. The female embodied those two items: capable of taking care of herself, obnoxiously intelligent, and continuously out of his reach. Her tendency to dart away whenever he would try to grasp her, physically and metaphorically, was one of the more frustrating aspects of her personality. That small part wondered what it would have been like with her, if he would have felt differently about the universe. He stopped himself before he could continue down that line of thought.

 _She is dead now,_  he told himself harshly.  _What-ifs and regrets are for lesser races._

Running his hands through his hair, Khan forced all thoughts of the woman out of his mind and attempted to collect himself. Soon, the scientists would come back with their needles and scalpels, injecting him with poisons and cutting him open, just to see what happens. The irony that he used to rule over these fools had not escaped him.

He snorted.

_How the mighty have fallen._

\-----------------------

The scientists had finally finished with him for the day. Guards escorted him back to his "room", even though he could barely walk and incapable of escaping. Granted, what they had done to him today would have killed a lesser being, so he supposed that to them, it was a miracle he could walk. Clearly they didn't want to take any chances.

The door to his "room" slid open and Khan was about to take a step inside when he was shoved roughly from behind. Had he not just had both of his legs broken, he would have maintained his balance easily. As it was, the bone and muscle was still too new to be of adequate use to him and he fell to the cold and unforgiving floor. A cruel laugh and "Now who's superior?" echoed around the room before the door closed.

It was all Khan needed to identify the guard. Not that it mattered; the guard was already on the list of future dead.

With pain wracking through him, Khan remained on the floor and sunk into his mind, detaching himself from his body. He turned his situation over and over again, just as he had done every day since the time he had been woken up. He had no idea if his crew was still alive, as all the times he asked his only answer had been silence.

Khan once more felt anger welling up in his mind, tinting his thoughts red. He had promised them that it would be better, that they would find a world ready to accept them. They would not make the same mistakes that the others had- they had become too blood-thirsty, too power-hungry and had destroyed themselves from the inside-out. Khan had refused to become part of their petty squabbles that ended up killing thousands and had surrounded himself by those that agreed with him.

 

 

Now, his crew that trusted him with their lives was out there somewhere, possibly awake and in the same situation as he was now. All Khan knew was that he had to find some way out of this, no matter the cost. As he continued to think, the normal feeling of exhaustion that accompanied the healing of large wounds started to overtake him. He tried hard to fight it, knowing that he had precious little time if he wanted to save his crew. It was no use though.

Against his will, Khan started to slip into sleep.

* * *

_June 19th, 1996: Earth_

" _You need to leave."_

_Khan stood up quickly from his desk and glared at the woman standing in front of him. How the hell had she gotten into his second floor office without attracting any attention?_

_It had been three years since her escape along the rooftops and Khan had stopped looking for her a year after that, having accepted that chasing a ghost was not an appropriate task for his people. Her outfit was the same as that day, but looked as if it had been thrown on haphazardly. The pants were tucked in to her boots unevenly and her shirt appeared to be twisted around her frame. Her wrist bindings were done up sloppily and Khan thought that he glimpsed a black material peeking out from underneath them. Her hair style had also changed- the left side was as she had worn it last time, loose and unbound, but the hair on her right side was pulled into two intricate braids along her scalp before hanging loose down her back. Her face was thinner and slightly pink, as if she had rushed to clean it. Khan could see a few spots of dirt that she had missed_

" _No calls for Joachim today?" Her eyebrows were raised in fake surprise, but her tone was tight, clipped, giving away the stress that her appearance indicated she was feeling. Khan looked at her, considering her words, before shaking his head._

_"How did you get in here?"_

_A little bit of the tension in her shoulders bled away and she gave him a small smile. "Would you believe 'magic'?" Khan raised an eyebrow, unamused. She chuckled quietly before moving to his armchair and perching on one of the arm rests. "I crawled in through the window at the end of the hallway and walked into your office. Are you going to eat that?" She pointed to the apple that Nadal had given him earlier. Khan shook his head and threw it to her._

" _That has to be the most information you've ever given me. And what is with your aversion to doors?"_

" _Oh do stop being dramatic Khan, it's really unbecoming for a man of your stature." She took a large bite out of the apple. "And I do not have an aversion to doors- in fact, I prefer them. Unfortunately, I do have an aversion to your people and they like to stand in front of your doors. Therefore, I use your windows."_

_Khan supposed that made sense; granted, the sentries were supposed to discourage people from entering his chateau entirely, not to encourage them to find other means of entrance. He decided that it wasn't worth getting into at this moment however. Therefore, he decided to argue with her about her first statement._

" _Dramatic? This is not dramatic. What it is, is the second time that you have inserted yourself into my life and taken up my time. Tell me why you are here and quickly, before I show you dramatic." Khan all but growled out._

_Of course, the woman merely smiled knowingly at him. "And what would you do Khan? Break my neck? Order me shot? Keep me captive; a slave even?" She stood up and stalked over to him, stopping a few inches from his chest. Her eyes burnt into his like the sun and Khan felt a thin trickle of apprehension run down his spine. Slowly, she took a deep breath, quietly getting her anger under control._

" _I am not here to frustrate you on purpose Khan.' she informed him quietly. "There are just some things that you aren't ready for yet. Your constant use of threats proves that to me." Here she paused and took another slow breath. "But, you are the best of your peers and so I'm helping you."_

_Khan continued to look down at the female, refusing to break eye contact. "I do not need help."_

_She quirked an eyebrow as she turned away and walked over to one of his decorative tables. Picking up a rock, a conglomerate from the Himalayas he had acquired from his first conquest, she turned it over and over in her hands as she stared out the window. "That fool whose life I saved has become stronger. Millions of voices have now joined his." She turned and looked him in the eyes. "As we speak, Rebekah is being overthrown. Philippe is next. Yang has already been murdered. Their methods caused their down fall Khan; they will cause yours next."_

" _What do you mean 'Rebekah is-" Khan started to ask her before his intercom interrupted him._

" _Sir!" It was Henri, one of his liaisons between the other Augment leaders and himself. Pressing a button on the desk, Khan kept eye contact with the female standing by the window as he answered._

" _Yes Henri, what is it?"_

" _Sir, we just received a report: the humans launched an attack and Rebekah was dragged out and murdered in the street. Her province is in complete disarray. Reports are also coming in that Yang was found beheaded in his study and that there are dozens of bombings occurring all around his territory." Khan stared down at the intercom speaker in horror. "What of Philippe and the others? Have you heard anything from them?"_

" _No Sir,' came the immediate reply, 'and our monitoring isn't picking up anything yet."_

" _Keep searching; I'll be right there." Khan looked up only to see the red head leaving his study. "Stop!"_

_She paused briefly as Khan moved around the desk, sparing a glance back at him as she did._

" _What are you, honestly?" Khan asked, his tone level and not betraying his tumultuous feelings._

_She looked at him sadly before glancing past him, as if remembering something. "Tired." She said quietly. "I am tired." Glancing back at him, she straightened her shoulders and tilted her chin up, defiantly. "You will not be safe on this planet anymore Khan. Gather those most loyal to you and leave."_

_With that, she turned and quickly walked down the hallway, heading towards the window at the end. Khan, however, wasn't quite finished. He walked after her. "Why are you helping us?"_

_He was about to repeat his question when he heard: "You are Frankenstein's Monster Khan. They created you and now, they don't wish to take responsibility for those actions."_

" _So it is pity then." He spat out bitterly._

" _No,' she looked over her shoulder at him as she opened the window, 'I admire you. You, who could have become like your kin, rose above them and became something they could never accomplish. You truly are Better." She paused. "A King, even. Now get off this planet." And with that, she climbed out the window._

_Khan didn't bother going to see where she went; he knew that he wouldn't find her. Instead, he stood in the hallway thinking over her warning. As he stood there, an idea came to him. Turning and striding away quickly, he made his way to Joachim's rooms._

_He would listen to her advice- there was nothing left here for them. They would leave and go find a planet ready for them, or wait for Earth to finally appreciate their kind._

* * *

February 23rd, 2259: Earth

Khan didn't know what was worse: the scientists with their experiments or Admiral Marcus as a whole. At least now he knew that his crew was alive even though he still didn’t know where they were being kept. Settling back against the wall of his cell, Khan knew that it was only a matter of time before a guard would become sloppy, or Marcus over-confident. Khan was fine with waiting- to a certain extent. Knowing that the next set of guards would come by as relief for the current guards in exactly 2.54 hours, Khan closed his eyes and began to meditate.

As he sunk into his mind, he thought he felt something brush along the edges of it. Startled, Khan's eyes shot open and his body tensed, waiting for an attack. As he looked around his cell cautiously, a sensation of reassurance washed over him. It was accompanied by an urge to once more close his eyes and resume meditating. Wondering if it was some sort of trick of Marcus’s, but also knowing that the Admiral didn’t have the capabilities of an act like this, Khan warily gave in.

\--------------

When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing on a black plain with a dark and rolling sky. Far in distance where the horizons met, the clouds were tinted orange and pink as if a sun had just set. The ground was dry and cracked; nothing grew from it and Khan got the sense that nothing had for a while. What the place was, he did not know. What he did know was that he wasn't alone in it- he could feel the presence again, just on the outskirts of his awareness.

"I demand to know who you are and you want." Khan ordered out to the empty plain. His response was silence at first, but then disjointed voices echoed around him.

_< Alpha.>_

_< I am…>_

_< Alpha…>_

_< BG12.>_

_< Protect him, Alpha. Watch him>_

The phrases kept repeating before gradually dying away. Khan looked around himself in surprise- most of the voices he hadn't recognize, but one of them he had.

_“Protect him, Alpha. Watch him. Don't be dramatic Khan. You truly are Better.”_

"How do you know her?! Tell me!"

The voices came back as the ground under Khan’s feet gave a shaky rumble.

_< No time>_

_< They are coming>_

"No time? Then why am I here?" Khan shouted out, frustrated. He was hardly surprised though; anything associated with her was probably obligated to be vague and frustrating.

_< I have…>_

_< Found your people.>_

_< They are…>_

_< In holding…>_

_< Block>_

_< B13.>_

The multiple voices echoed around him once more and Khan suddenly saw something rushing towards him. Crouching into a fighting stance, Khan prepared himself to meet it.

The object slowed and Khan saw that it was not a threat, but a viewing screen. A hallway was being displayed and quickly moved through. Khan memorized the twists and turns that the screen showed, quickly realizing that he was being shown the way to his crew. Abruptly, the viewing screen was filled with the image of a gray metal door, the symbols "B-13" written on it.

Khan stared at it before glancing away. "Why are you helping me?"

The view screen changed, no longer the gray door. Instead, it showed a cliff overlooking a compound of buildings, one that Khan recognized almost immediately. It was evening and Khan could see people assembling below him. However, the cliff appeared to be vacant, until a voice suddenly rang out.

" _Go with them Alpha. Watch him. Protect him."_

Khan knew what he was seeing- it was the night that they had left Earth, had snuck out like criminals instead of the Kings that they were. Somehow,  _she_  had been there and had assigned this "Alpha" to watch over them. But how… how could it have survived for so long?

"That doesn't answer my question. Why would she have you protect us? We _were_  safe!"

_< There are more dangerous things in this world than dissenters>_

_< … Evil of a world long Gone…>_

_< Mother! No! We have to go back!>_

_< …The name of Lions it will take…>_

_< They killed my people, my family! Help us!>_

< _…Without the other, both shall fall. >_

The final phrase faded from Khan's mind as he came back into awareness. What didn't fade were the screams of pain and anguish that came from the woman’s mouth as she tried to get back to her mother.

Khan knew what she must have been feeling. He had felt it every day since his awakening as he failed again and again to find and save his crew. He didn't know what the words spoken by the old woman's voice meant- nor did he know the time line of any of the things revealed to him. His question had been answered, but at the same time, hadn't.

If Khan was a lesser being, he would have scoffed at the implication of Seers and Prophesies. As it was, he knew that there were beings out there capable of "viewing" and influencing the future through their predictions. He also knew that the future was too convoluted, too full of possibilities to actually be able to predict it- it was why he typically considered the Seers as influencers. They gave people ambiguous descriptions and allowed them to make of it as they will.

This, however, sounded certain. It couldn't have been the entire Telling- no one could make any concrete interpretations out of that- but "without the other, both shall fall" was more direct than Khan was used to. He had met a Seer once, had spoken to him and had listened to the man explain his experiences. He had refused however, when the Seer asked if he wanted to know his destiny.

Perhaps he shouldn't have.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, his head leant back against the wall, Khan allowed his thoughts to take him where they will. As expected, they repeatedly brought him back to her and he wondered if her people's death had occurred after he had first met her, or before. He still was no closer to figuring out more about her, only that she had ordered this "Alpha" creature- Khan didn't believe it to be human- to watch over them. Its habit of speaking through piecing together, what Khan assumed to be, conversations that had already happened seemed to indicate that it didn't have a functioning set of vocal chords.

_Maybe it’s a short Empath._

Khan snorted quietly in amusement. Around and around his thoughts ran before Khan was given the welcomed interruption of the sound of automatic doors sliding open. The arrival of Marcus and his men gave him something else to focus on besides the growing list of questions he had discovered today.

_Things such as revenge._

\------------------------

It was another three months before Khan attempted to contact "Alpha". The being had been silent ever since that day, as if waiting for Khan to figure out things out. Or maybe it had just known somehow that Khan didn't have any need of it yet. Either way, Khan was unsure of exactly how to signal that he needed to talk to it.

He decided that meditating and somehow finding his way back to that same location in his mind would be a good place to start. The only problems with that was he didn't know how he had gotten there in the first place, how long it would take him to find it, or if he would even have time to speak to "Alpha". Khan had at least decided to wait until he was placed in his cell for the night- that would give him at least 6 hours without interruptions.

Settling cross-legged on his cot, Khan closed his eyes and let his body relax. He wandered aimlessly inside his mind, randomly stopping and trying to feel for the sense of some other being there. He even attempted projecting his mind, in the hopes that it would reach the strange entity.

He was unsuccessful. After what felt like hours of wandering aimlessly, he threw what would be considered the equivalent to a "hissy fit" had he been anyone but Khan.

"I know you can sense me dammit! Now answer!"

In a whirlwind of color, Khan found himself once more on the blackened plain.

_< You called>_

_< For me?>_

"I have been calling for you for hours now." Khan bit out. How many hours had he wasted?

_< I>_

_< Only heard you>_

_< Just now.>_

"Perhaps you should get your ears checked then." Khan shot back, gaze narrowed. "I have been projecting my mind to you. How did you not sense that?"

_< Your mind>_

_< Is not like>_

_< Mine.>_

_< You must>_

_< Call for me.>_

Khan sighed. "Information that will be added onto the 'It would have been nice to know that earlier' list. I have a question Alpha."

_< Yes>_

_< Khan?>_

An'ya's voice surrounded him and he almost turned around to acknowledge her. "Do you have to use her voice?"

_< She is>_

_< One of the ones>_

_< That taught me 'voice'>_

Khan assumed that meant 'yes'. Resigning himself to another frustrating conversation, Khan proceeded with his questions. "Is she still alive then? And can you take a message to her?"

There was only silence. Just as he was about to add Alpha to his list of things to find and kill, Khan's questions were answered.

_< Yes>_

_< She says>_

_< 'Tell him to start walking'>_

_< Please>_

_< Start walking.>_

Khan raised an eyebrow. "I will  _not_."

_< An'ya would like>_

_< Me to tell you something.>_

Khan looked around expectantly. "Well?"

_< 'Stop being dramatic Khan.'>_

Her voice was too amused for the situation. "I am not being dramatic! Where exactly am I supposed to walk? There is nothing here!" Crossing his arms was a sign of firm defiance,  _not_  petulance.

_< Forward is often>_

_< The best choice.>_

There was a pause.

_< And it is petulance.>_

Khan growled in frustration before running a hand through his hair and stalking forward. "It's not polite to listen to my thoughts Alpha." His teeth were clenched together so tightly that he barely got the words out.

_< It is how I>_

_< Communicate.>_

_< I cannot stop.>_

"Then do not comment on them!" Khan snapped back.

_< My apologies>_

_< I was told you>_

_< Appreciated 'wit'.>_

_< I have never used it before.>_

_< Did I do it wrong?>_

Khan sighed in exasperation. "Clearly not." The giddy feeling he felt surround himself after that statement was as unwelcomed as the damn thing's comments. "Why are you so happy?"

_"He has never successfully mastered wit before. I knew you would be a good person for him to practice on. You get flustered oh-so-easily."_

Khan stopped short. He had only been walking for a few seconds, yet in front of him stood a familiar figure.

"You."

_"Come now Khan, I do have a name."_

He ignored her in favor of taking in his surroundings- well,  _her_  surroundings. He was still standing on the same black ground, but she was standing on white sand. Mountains rose in the background and in-between stood a forest- tropical, and Mediterranean, if Khan had to guess. The sky was a brilliant blue and it gave Khan such a feeling of wistfulness that he had to subtly pinch himself.

"What is that place?" He couldn't hide the awe-struck look on his face.

An'ya regarded him sadly. _"It is my 'being', just as the plain you are on is yours."_

Khan glanced around himself. "How… why is it like this? What happened?!” At his sudden outburst of emotion, the ground beneath his feet groaned and started cracking. Alarmed, Khan grew even more agitated, which make the ground start shaking violenly.

 _"Khan! Khan, look at me! Come here, walk up to me!"_ An'ya had stepped closer and appeared to be pressing her hands against a barrier of some sort. Confused and still angry, Khan walked towards her and mirrored her actions. When his hands lined up with hers, he felt a measure of calm and control fill him and he took deep, shuddering breaths.

"What is going on An'ya?" he whispered, his head down and hair falling into his eyes. It was the first time he had used her name and she felt a pang of sadness shoot through her. With his head bent, she had never seen him look so defeated, even when she watched the images of him being experimented on. All she wanted was to comfort him.

_"It will be alright Khan. The past year has been difficult for you and that is why your 'being' is like this- it reflects the hatred and anger that you have. You are also closer to your emotions here- it is why you keep experiencing such extremes."_

"Then why is yours like that? I heard your voice calling out- screaming- for your mother, for help. How are you not the same as I?"

 _"Oh Khan…"_ she pressed her forehead against the barrier and Khan once more mirrored her actions.

 _"Beyond those mountains,"_ she began _"is a barren landscape just like yours; I can't get rid of it completely. Trust me, I have tried. What you see before you has taken years to achieve and it could be consumed by my anger at any time."_

Khan processed her words before nodding his understanding. "How are you still alive?"

She smirked. _"What, were you afraid that I'd die without having you to frustrate?"_

Khan smirked. “Perhaps. You do strike me as the co-dependent type.”

 _"Careful, or I’ll strike you with more than co-dependency.”_ Her lips pulled up in a smile before she turned serious again. _“I cannot stay much longer Khan- what was it you wanted to speak with me about?"_

Khan answered her quickly. "Marcus is having me design a new type of torpedo- one that is _conveniently_ large enough to instill a cryotube in. I will be placing my crew in them and loading them on a ship, but I don't know where to go afterwards. I was wondering if we would be welcomed on your planet."

She smiled at him. _"You have realized that I am not from the Middle East then?"_

A raised eyebrow and an answering "Yes well, the being that speaks to me in my mind with different voices, your voice included, may have given it away" made her snicker and glance away.

_"Your people would be most welcome on my planet Khan. There are things I must tell you though-"_

She was cut off though by a male voice resonating around them. _< Hatchling, the remaining wing members have returned. There are several wounded.>_

An’ya’s eyebrows contracted together and Khan saw fear in her eyes as she looked back at him. _“I am sorry, Khan. The next time you have a chance, contact Alpha again and he’ll find me. Or perhaps-”_

_< Perhaps I shall show him the information he desires to know. I will do it now- Alpha tells me that he still has hours left before the human Marcus comes to get him.>_

An’ya exhaled, her eyes searching Khan’s. Slowly, she moved away from the barrier. _“I guess today is your lucky day then. Until next time, Khan.”_ Her tone was sad, sounding more like Khan was being sentenced to something instead of finally getting the answers he had been waiting for.

She turned away and vanished before Khan could wish her farewell.

_< Let us begin.>_

The voice reverberated around him as everything went black.

 


	2. Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Star Trek or Khan.

Colors rushed around Khan and  he could see images within them- an ivory city blackened by flames and covered in rubble; a humanoid child racing through deserted streets; a group of what appeared to be scientists- and then the rush of images stopped and Khan felt himself falling.

He hit the ground hard, grunting when his chest made contact. The ground was uneven but smooth. A cobblestone street, made up entirely of light pink and ivory-colored stones had broken his fall. Cautiously glancing around, he saw that he was in the middle of the burning city- except that instead of being consumed by flames, it was bustling with people and activity. Pushing himself up, he realized that the humanoids in front of him were tall- half a foot taller than him at least. They moved gracefully, their long limbs covering the ground effortlessly, with large opal eyes and glistening skin.

Evidently Khan had been dropped right in the middle of the market district; he proceeded to look around at the various booths as the creatures made various whistles, clicks, and hand gestures among themselves.. One male (at least Khan thought it was male) was selling what looked to be fish- bright, lime green fish. Khan made a face of disgust.

<This city is where I spent the beginning of my life- it was the epicenter of my planet.>

The voice held no emotion as it described the rest of the planet, from the vast desert in the Southern hemisphere to the underwater cities in their largest ocean. It spoke of how the Northern pole was the only one with ice, as the southern one directly faced their second sun- it was why the continent had dried up and become uninhabitable.

“So, you are one of these beings?” Khan asked as the voice fell silent.

<No, I am nothing like them.>

“Then are you a subset of this species or a different one entirely?” He stood in the center of the market and watched the humanoids glide around him.

<You will see in a moment.>

Based on the voice's lack of emotion when describing it's home world, Khan assumed that it's experience had been less than pleasant. Khan swiveled around slowly, trying to find any beings that appeared different or shunned. There was a vendor to his left that had more of a blush to his skin than the other beings- Khan eliminated him easily when he saw the others interacted no differently around him. A group of children ran into the scene, only to quickly run out of it, whistles and a strange purring noise emanating from their mouths; Khan dismissed one of them as possibilities as well.

Khan continued to scan the market but couldn't see any evidence that would indicated which being belonged to the voice.There was nothing suspicious or out of place- vendors, people, a cart pulled by a reptilian creature as its driver waved and spoke to various beings. He was unsure about what the voice was expecting him to see.

"There are no other beings here."

The voice laughed bitterly. <Yes there are. Look again.>

"There is nothing here even remotely different from the humanoids, except for..." Khan paused.

“You are pulling the cart."

<I am used as a common beast of burden.> The voice was bitter. < And over there, is Alpha.>

Khan looked around, not knowing which direction 'over there' was until he saw a smaller, brown reptilian in one of the vendor stands. It was about a meter long and appeared to be a curious creature. Khan watched as it stuck its head inside a large clay pot.

His fists clenched with anger when the vendor kicked the creature and shouted it’s native tongue. Khan growled low in his throat as Alpha curled up in on himself protectively before scurrying away.

<Your anger is appreciated Hatchling but unnecessary.>

His fists still clenched together at his side, Khan turned his attention back to the creature harnessed to the cart. It was covered in white scales which shimmered and sparkled in the sunlight. Its body was roughly the size of a large horse- maybe a little bigger- and its tail was again the length of its body; Khan winced internally as he saw that it’s tail was too long for the cart and thus had been trapped underneath the carriage. There were also bands wrapped around the creature’s middle that didn't appear to be part of the overall harness design. Khan saw their purpose immediately.

"They bound your wings."

<They bound all of our kind's wings, those of us that had them. Alpha's kind evolved without them, being more inclined to dig in the ground than soar the skies. Not that we could do that either at this point.>

The voice paused.

<We call ourselves Draconians, after the name of our homeland. We never used to have a name for our race, until the Sermians came and demanded our allegiance. It was a way for us to preserve our identities.>

Khan listened intently as the voice continued to describe it’s people- there were 5 subspecies all together. Alpha’s kind, which were referred to as ‘the Browns’ originated in the desert where they would dig burrows in order to escape the sun. They weren’t considered the most intelligent of the Draconians, but were among the fastest and had heightened senses that allowed them to easily find prey in the wasteland they called home. The Blues were water-loving, spending their time in the oceans and actually having both gills and lungs- something the Sermians used to their advantage for fishing and water travel. The Greens were forest-dwellers and particularly adept climbers, as they were also fruit-eaters and needed to climb trees to find their food source. The Sermians had turned them into harvesters- placing baskets on their backs and having them gather the fruit at the tops of the trees. The Whites, and here the voice introduced himself as Xanthan, were primarily from the Northern Ice Plain and used to the extreme cold. They were adept fishers and would often take down large water mammels that also prefered the artic waters. They had been the last to be captured and most of them had evaded capture by burrowing in the ice and going dormant.

The fifth subspecies, the Reds, had also almost been forced into extinction hundreds of years before. They were vulcano-lovers and were able to withstand the heat of the lava pools. They were also the most aggressive and had caused the most damage to the Sermian forces. Now, only a handful remained.

“Why did you not escape? Fight back? Are you not the better species?”

<We could have in the beginning. We were foolish- we believed their words of planet unity. Do you think that they just came in overnight and took  control of us? No. They were smart and had a goal that we could not see because of our pride. We were the dominant species, the strongest. Then they introduced methods of control- those collars being the most... efficient.>

Khan did indeed see a collar around Xanthan’s neck- it was a thin metal band and lacked any markings from what he could see.

"It is a punishment device." Khan stated, his voice even.

<It is worse than that. All draconians are born with the ability to... I do not know the English equivalent of our term for it... but we can travel great distances in an instant. It is similar to the humans teleportation devices. Those collars however, have a distance range. If we moved out of it, say to another world, they would detonate.>

Khan laughed mirthlessly. "And here I admired them for their grace when I should have appreciated them for their ruthlessness."

<It will back-fire on them. Come.>

Khan was pulled into another scene. This time, he was in what appeared to be a medical lab. Sermians were working at various counters and stations, utilizing beakers full of different colored liquids and multiple sets of petri dishes. Another, perhaps the head scientist, was discussing something animatedly to a group.

"What is he saying?" Khan stepped closer to the humanoid.

<She is telling the investors that they have had a breakthrough.>

Khan glanced around. "A breakthrough in what?"

<Genetic enhancement. They have just found a vector capable of transplanting the specific genes that they have developed. Within the next few months, the scientists standing in front of you will all become infected.>

The scene swirled once more and Khan was now standing in the center of what looked to be a cave system. He was surrounded by all types of Draconians, the greens and blues interspersed with dots of brown as the tiny creatures flit back and forth.  He only saw two reds and one white. Khan assumed that the latter was Xanthan.

"What is happening now?"

<We are planning. The planet has fallen to the virus. The virus, designed to give them greater strength so they could control us, has backfired on them. Those infected become enraged, powerful, and completely at the mercy of the creatures they unwittingly created. Somehow, the scientists had made a new being, transmitted through touch, and capable of controlling the actions of it's host. Sermians, in all their wisdom and fear, made one fatal error- they made the virus so that we were... unable to incorporate the enhancements. Essentially, we were immune and ultimately saved from our lives of servitude.>

“You are still wearing the collars though.”

The voice let out a dry chuckle. <We came up with a plan, which the Browns were essential for it’s implementation.>

Khan watched as the Browns clicked excitedly at each other and the surrounding draconians before dashing off, some of them even going so far as to climb up a few of the blues and greens before launching themselves into the air and disappearing. The voice chuckled. <We make allowances for their exuberance.>

Khan raised an eyebrow. “Where did they go?”

<The relay centers. It’s where the signal to our collars is sent out. There are at least a dozen of them around the world. The Browns have located ten of them; Alpha and two others are going to locate the last two while the rest station themselves around the others so we can locate them. Eventually, Alpha and the two others manage to locate the remaining two centers. In about three of your earth hours, we all launch a combined attack on the centers, demolishing them. And then, we take our freedom and leave.>

The voice is quiet as Khan is pulled through a whirl of colors again. This time, images of the various draconian species surround him, as well as different landscapes as they attempt to find a new home.

<Out of the tens of thousands of us that used to be alive, only 3,000 are left. Two-thirds are Greens and Blues, species that had been spared most of the Sermian’s wrath on the basis that they were the most useful. The remaining thousand are made up of the Browns, about two dozen Reds, and myself. I was the only White to escape that world.The others, I assume, are either still sleeping or have been destroyed.>

“That is tragic. But it doesn’t answer my questions.”

<It provides the framework for the answers. We jump from planet to planet before finally settling on one, light years away from our past. Unfortunately, it was more exhaustion that caused us to stop than actual desire. We discover that the planet is already inhabited, by another humanoid species.Terrified and exhausted, we stay as far from their settlements as possible.The planet is large and this is easy for us to do, but interactions between our species was bound to happen.>

His surroundings clear, and Khan finds himself standing in a meadow. The grass green and long, reaching up past his ankles. He hears laughter and quickly turns to find the source. Startled, he watches as a red-haired girl, obviously in her early teens, runs into the clearing and twirls around in the grass. Suddenly, she stops and stares in Khan’s direction. For a minute, he gets the irrational thought that she can see him, even though he knows that he’s viewing a memory, before he realizes that she must be staring at something behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he sees what’s caught the girl’s attention. A Brown draconian has wandered into the clearing, searching for food. Khan knows that the only reason the creature hasn’t noticed the her yet is because she’s downwind of it and currently standing stock-still.

Khan watches and waits as the teen continues to examine the creature in front of her. Apparently reaching a decision, she slowly starts to move towards it. Her movement startles the Brown, who instantly snaps his head up and stares right at the girl, who puts her hand out as if reaching to pet it. The Brown hisses and backs away slowly.

“I won’t hurt you, I promise.” The girl’s voice is soft and causes the Brown to stop moving. Sniffing the air, the Brown eyes her curiously. Khan starts to wonder if it thinks it just found it’s next meal when the girl continues to speak.

“You’re very pretty. Or handsome, if you’re male. What are you? I’ve never seen an animal like you before.” The girl tilted her head to side and grinned when the Brown mimicked her. “You’re very intelligent, aren’t you?” she crooned to it, stretching out her hand again. Khan raised an eyebrow in surprise when the Brown stretched his neck out and took a step forward towards her when he expected it to hiss at her again and run away.

“That’s it. I swear I won’t hurt you.”

It took half an hour for the draconian to cross the meadow, but finally the two stood only a few inches apart. The draconian raised it’s head and sniffed the girl’s outstretched hand before nudging it gently.

<An’ya came out to this clearing every single morning, often times bringing Alpha some food. She would always speak to him and one day, Alpha spoke back. Well, he communicated. When he told you that An’ya taught him voice, he was not exaggerating. Before her, Alpha and all the Browns communicated through a series of pictures and feelings. Now->

“They speak using various phrases that they’ve heard. Interesting. Can they project their ‘voices’ enough to convince someone that they were told something when they really weren’t?” Khan’s mind was racing- perhaps he could use Alpha to orchestrate an escape? Maybe he wouldn’t need to hide his family in the torpedos after all.

<It hasn’t been attempted before.>

“Is this the end of the memories? I require An’ya’s presence.”

<No. Your impatience- it will not help.>

“What do you mean it won’t help! I have no time for patience, my people, my family are in danger and I need to get them out of it! Now I asked you for answers and all you have done is taken me on a walk down memory lane! I demand you end this and bring An’ya to me.”

<There is more at stake here than your family Khan Noonien Singh. Sacrifices have been made that are much larger than yours ever shall be or ever could be. You wanted answers, and using Alpha is not one of them.>

Khan growled in frustration and was about to scream at the voice when he was suddenly dropped into a new memory. He was shocked into silence by the sight in front of him.

An’ya stood there, shivering and covered in blood; she looked to be the same age as the An'ya he was familar with. Her clothes were torn and her hair hung in lanks around her face. Her hands were steady however, and her eyes were determinedly staring at the space in front of her.

“I humbly request your help.” Her voice was strong and she stood tall and firm inspite of her shivers. Her request was met with silence however and Khan was unable to see who she was speaking to. Suddenly, so suddenly that Khan almost jumped back, An’ya lost her composure.

“They killed my people, my family! Help us! Don’t just run away! Alpha told me what happened- he showed me and I’m sorry and I know you’re afraid. I’m scared too. But we have to stop them. We have to fight back! And you’re strong enough to do that. So please… please help.” An’ya sagged then, her shoulders slumped in defeat. Her outburst finally caused a reaction from her audience, which stepped out from the shadows of the cave. Khan wasn’t surprised to see Xanthan. He was surprised, however, when the draconian lowered his head and nuzzled the girl, who for some reason nodded. Immediately, a spark, like electricity, shot between them and An’ya fell down, crying out in pain.

“What happened? What did you do?”

<She wanted our help and so she agreed to our terms. She became bound to us, to me. That spark was the physical representation of it. It is the reason for her long life, as we are long-lived. It is also why she has enhanced reflexes and strength.>

Before Khan is able to respond, things are rushing past him again and he is once more standing on the blackened plain. Breathing heavily and looking about wildly, he finds An’ya standing before him again. Khan runs a hand through his hair and calms down. He doesn’t question her appearance, figuring that Xanthan contacted her through their bond.

“What happened after you become bound to the Draconian?”

_“We went to battle. The soldiers that followed me to plead for help from the Draconians all accepted the Draconian terms of bondage and paired up.”_

“Terms?”

She nodded slowly. _“It is an arrangement that lasts until death. You can’t just walk away from a draconian bond. We feel them… constantly. Sometimes, our minds aren’t strong enough and both Draconian and Xhirian can go insane.”_

“Xhirian?”

An’ya gives him a brief smile and shrugged. _“Xhiria is my home planet so we refer to ourselves as Xhirians.”_

Khan nodded in understanding. “So I’m assuming you won the battle as you’re still alive.”

An’ya chuckled drily. _“Yes, we ‘won’ the battle. By the time my soldiers and I returned to the capital city and the main fight, almost all of my people were dead.”_

“And yet your planet is open to me and mine?” Khan questioned, suspicious.

_“A lot can grow back in a thousand years.”_

Khan was silent and just observed the woman in front of him. A thousand years was an unbelievable number, but if everything that he had learned tonight was true, then it was possible. But he still didn’t understand what the connection was. He didn’t fully understand her outburst when she was asking for aid. What did the Draconians past have to do with the Xhirians supposed genocide? Unless…

“The Sermians- do they ever gain space flight capabilities?”

An’ya smiles tersely. _“Oh yes. And much, much more.”_

“You warned me about them.”

His only response was a nod.

“Do they still exist?”

_“Yes."_  

"And where are they now?" Khan stepped towards An'ya, who tilted her head back to continue looking him in the eyes.

_ "They are moving towards Federation Space." _

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't supposed to be a Mary Sue/ She-runs-in-and-saves-Khan-from-himself type of deal.
> 
> Seriously, the next chapter will show that.
> 
> And Khan may just end up getting really pissed.
> 
> Maybe. He hasn't decided yet.


End file.
